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James Smith (Arizona)
James Smith was a judge for the Maricopa County Superior Court in Maricopa County, Arizona. He was appointed to the court in 2015, officially joining on May 26, 2015. James Smith retired from the court on June 21, 2022.
Education
Smith received an undergraduate degree from Arizona State University and a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1995.[1]
Career
Prior to becoming a judge, Smith was an attorney in private practice. He spent the majority of his career at the law firm Bryan Cave LLP.[1]
Awards and associations
- Advisory board, Salvation Army in Phoenix
- Former member, Arizona State Bar Association's Civil Practice and Procedure Committee[1]
Elections
2018
Maricopa County Superior Court, James Smith's seat
James Smith was retained to the Maricopa County Superior Court on November 6, 2018 with 68.2% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
68.2
|
524,805 | ||
No |
31.8
|
244,714 | |||
Total Votes |
769,519 | ||||
|
|
Selection method
The 174 judges of the Arizona Superior Court are selected in one of two ways:
- In counties with a population exceeding 250,000, judges are selected through the merit selection method. (Only Pima, Pinal, and Maricopa counties currently subscribe to this method, though the constitution provides for other counties to adopt merit selection through ballot initiative). After appointment, judges serve for two years and then must run in a yes-no retention election in the next general election. If retained, judges will go on to serve a four-year term.[2]
- In the state's other 13 counties, judges run in partisan primaries followed by nonpartisan general elections. Interim vacancies are filled through gubernatorial appointment, and newly appointed judges must run in the next general election.[2]
The chief judge of each superior court is chosen by the state supreme court. He or she serves in that capacity for the remainder of their four-year term.[2]
Noteworthy cases
Arizona Proposition 207 (2020)
- See also: James et al. v. Hobbs
On July 20, 2020, Lisa James, chairperson of Arizonans for Health and Public Saftey, and six other individuals sued Secretary of State Katie Hobbs in the Maricopa County Superior Court. James et al. argued that the ballot initiative is invalid because, according to the plaintiffs, "the measure's 100-word summary is materially misleading and creates a substantial danger of fraud, confusion and unfairness."[3] On August 7, 2020, Superior Court Judge James Smith ruled in favor of defendants and decided that the 100-word summary was sufficient. Smith said that the key provisions of the measure were represented in the petition summary. Smith noted that plaintiffs took 25 pages to describe provisions they said were essential to the 100-word summary. Smith wrote, "Addressing legalizing a previously illegal substance must account for laws touching many parts of life. But if everything in an initiative is a principal provision, then nothing is."[4]
See also
- Municipal elections in Maricopa County, Arizona (2018)
- Maricopa County Superior Court, Arizona
- Courts in Arizona
- Judicial selection in Arizona
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedappoint - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Arizona," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Maricopa County Superior Court, "James et al. v. Hobbs," July 20, 2020
- ↑ Martinsville Bulletin, "Rulings move pot, justice reform measures closer to ballot," August 7, 2020
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Arizona • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Arizona
State courts:
Arizona Supreme Court • Arizona Court of Appeals • Arizona Superior Court • Arizona Justice Courts • Arizona Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Arizona • Arizona judicial elections • Judicial selection in Arizona
